AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH COREY TAYLOR IN LAS VEGAS
Fremont Country Club | Las Vegas, Nevada | October 18, 2026
Two hours before Corey Taylor even took the stage, the line was already wrapped around the building. My husband Rocky and I arrived at Fremont Country Club at 6 p.m., an hour before doors, and people were already lined up and waiting. By the time Corey took the stage, around 8:10, the sold-out venue was shoulder to shoulder. It was my first time at Fremont Country Club, and I couldn't have asked for a better introduction. There is something special about getting to see an artist you've followed for years in a close-knit room like this, close enough to feel the energy coming off the stage and the crowd around you.
Corey came out with his acoustic guitar and opened with the “SpongeBob SquarePants Theme,” a quirky tradition he's been doing for years as a way to share a little of himself and connect with his kid. It's a wonderfully Corey way to start a show: a little corny, a little unexpected, and a reminder that there's more to the man than the music most people know him for. From there, he moved into “Song #3,” “The One I Love,” “Taciturn,” “Snuff,” “Kiss from a Rose,” and “Bother.” The room shifted with him. People leaned toward the stage, singing along and hanging on the quieter moments, and the intimacy made those songs feel different from hearing them in a much larger venue.
“Song #3” held a special meaning for us. We've both been fans of Corey and his music for years, and this is one of those songs Rocky and I have considered ours for a long time. There was something surreal about photographing Corey while he sang a song that meant so much to us. We were working, each focused on what we were there to do, but somewhere in the middle of all that, there was also this song, this history, and the two of us sharing the moment. We weren't just there to photograph and review a show. We were there together, as fans, getting to experience it.
The acoustic set had its share of little surprises, too, including a bumpy introduction to “Kiss from a Rose” that never made the night feel overly rehearsed or precious. Corey laughed it off, reset, and keep going. That loose, easygoing feeling carried through the entire show. Even during “The One I Love,” when he sang to his wife watching from VIP, the moment felt like a glimpse of the person behind the music rather than a staged grand gesture. Those small exchanges, the joking about requested songs and the approaching bedtime, added a little warmth to the evening without needing to become the main event.
When the full band joined him for the electric set, the energy kicked up another level. Backed by Dustin Robert on drums, Zach Throne on guitar and backing vocals, Todd Kerns on bass, and Paul Trudeau on keyboards and guitar, Corey moved from acoustic intimacy into a gloriously mismatched cover set that somehow made perfect sense for him. Prince's “Let's Go Crazy,” Elton John's “Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting,” and Peter Murphy's “Cuts You Up” were included like they demanded their presence, each another turn in a set that refused to stay in one lane.
KISS got a proper introduction, complete with Corey doing his best Gene Simmons-style frontman impression and talking about how much he and the band members loved KISS. Before “Crazy Train,” he took a moment to thank Ozzy for everything he'd given the world of metal, acknowledging just how much the genre owes him. That tribute gave the song a little more weight than simply launching into another classic. From there, the set kept jumping between styles, including a mashup of “Gin and Juice,” “Insane in the Brain,” “Jump Around,” and “Wicked.” It's a jumble of sounds you might not expect to find together at a metal show, but that's part of the fun. The heavier songs and the unexpected covers felt like different sides of the same guy, all getting room to play.
The sound was excellent, and the blue lighting and thin layer of fog gave the stage a great look. Just as enjoyable were the moments between the songs. Corey and Zach traded looks and played off each other with their guitars, while the band moved together like a group of friends genuinely enjoying the chance to jam. Corey joked with the crowd, made fun of getting older and needing his bedtime, and didn't try to hide the moments when things got a little rough. His voice cracked during the Judas Priest cover, and there was a guitar retuning moment, but none of it derailed the night. He wasn't trying to sell us the illusion of a flawless performance. He was a man doing what he loves, having a great time doing it with his buddies, and letting the rest of us enjoy it with him.
That feeling carried into the five-song encore, which opened with a little course correction: “Don't Tell Me You Love Me,” the Night Ranger song they'd missed from the original set.
The encore itself brought together two sides of his musical history, with Stone Sour's “Through Glass” and “30/30-150” alongside Slipknot's “Before I Forget” and “Duality.” “30/30-150” hits differently when you remember being the skinny kid who got bullied in school. Years later, standing in a packed room full of people screaming the words, sharing in the song and their own personal triumphs, it's a reminder of how far life can carry you from where you've been. Then you're right back in the middle of a room full of people bouncing along to the music, with that history still part of you but no longer the whole story.
With only two songs left, Corey announced with a smile that they were for the “older crowd,” then turned to the “younger crowd” with a slight smirk to deliver the same news. He then checked in with his wife, who let him know her feet were hurting. His response? His whole body hurt from the stage. It was a funny, affectionate exchange that offered another little glimpse of their life together amid the noise and lights.
Before “Before I Forget,” Corey thanked the crowd for showing up in such numbers with only about three weeks' notice. Seeing that many people turn out for a pop-up show was impressive on its own, but his appreciation made the moment feel personal. He spoke about how much performing meant to him, saying it was one of the few things he does well. The crowd answered him with a roar of “BEFORE I FORGET!” It wasn't just a song title being shouted back. It was a room full of fans responding to a man who clearly loved being there with them.
Photographing the show gave me another perspective on all of it: Corey's expressions, his stage presence, and the little interactions between him and the band that made the performance feel alive. The cramped photo pit was the one real challenge. With five photographers trying to work in a tight space, finding a good angle and keeping steady wasn't easy, and some of my shots ended up looking more up his nose than at the performance. But that was a photographer's frustration, not a reflection of the show itself. There was so much happening onstage that I wanted to capture, and the challenge was keeping up with it.
By the end of the night, my ears were ringing and I could still feel the music in my chest. That's one of the things I love about heavy music: it doesn't just bounce around you and disappear when the song ends. You carry it out with you. And this show gave us plenty to carry. The acoustic songs, the unexpected covers, the heavy hitters, the humor, the crowd leaning toward the stage, and the small glimpses of the people behind the music all came together into something that felt much bigger than a setlist.
Rocky and I walked away happy we had been there together, not just because we got to see Corey Taylor perform, but because we got to see someone so genuinely happy doing what he loves. For a few hours, in a packed little room in Las Vegas, he got to sing with his friends, share his music with his fans, and enjoy the whole thing right alongside us. It was intimate, it was loud, it was funny, and it hit us right in the chest. If Corey decides to do another pop-up show, I hope we're lucky enough to be there again. And if you've ever wondered what it's like to catch an artist you love in a room this small, take the chance. You might walk out with ringing ears, a full heart, and a grin you can't quite shake.
-- Trudy Kessenger
Corey Taylor "Beyond" from the solo album CMF2
Corey Taylor SLIDESHOW Photos Trudy Kessenger
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